Man City sent frank Champions League warning as Nottingham Forest look to profit from poor form

Manchester City welcome Nottingham Forest to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening looking to arrest a run of seven games without victory in all competitions.

Liverpool condemned them to a sixth defeat in that run on Sunday, as goals from Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah stretched the Reds' lead over City to 11 points.

The season may only be in December, but City's chances of retaining their Premier League title for a fifth season in a row now look very slim.

However, they quickly need to get their season back on track, with Champions League qualification, as well as the Champions League, FA Cup and Club World Cup still to play for this term.

That starts with the visit of in-form Forest and while two prominent pundits have backed them to return to winning ways, one believes their desperate wait for a victory will continue.

As such, Manchester Evening News have rounded up those predictions below.

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Chris Sutton

The former Celtic and Blackburn forward told BBC Sport: "Manchester City's form has to turn around at some point, but there is little sign of that happening at the moment.

"Nottingham Forest are going to be awkward opponents for them and, as the only team to have beaten Liverpool so far, they will fancy their chances at Etihad Stadium too.

"Nuno Espirito Santo's side love defending and they will make it very hard for City to break them down.

"I did not mind seeing Pep Guardiola's defiance at the end of City's defeat at Anfield, when he raised six fingers at the Liverpool fans who were chanting 'you're getting sacked in the morning' at him.

"Pep's players will like it too, and they are still fighting, but how can I back them to get a positive result based on what we have seen in the past few weeks?

"City still have the talent but it has not been clicking and, physically, Forest will probably have the edge. The defending champions' confidence is shot to pieces and teams must feel they can get at them.

"So, I think there will be goals and this could turn out to be a battle between two big number nines - 'The Wood Chopper’' Chris Wood for Forest and City's Erling Haaland. I fancy both of them to score."

Sutton's prediction: Man City 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Mark Lawrenson

The former BBC Sport pundit told Paddy Power: "Man City were all over the place against Liverpool. They had maybe one spell where they looked dangerous, but that was it, and you can’t just blame it on Rodri. A lot of City’s players are out of form and Liverpool could’ve won much easier.

"The manager must be thinking 'What the hell?!' Because he’s never had a run like this in his managerial career. You keep thinking they’ll sort it in the next game but they haven’t yet.

"Forest got a win that they needed at the weekend, but I have to expect City to get it right soon, so I’ll pick them to win."

Lawrenson's prediction: Man City 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Paul Merson

The Sky Sports pundit told SportsKeeda: "The longer this game goes on at 0-0, the more you worry for Manchester City. I'm watching City and I don't understand what's happening.

"I couldn't believe what I was watching in the first half against Liverpool at Anfield. Liverpool destroyed them and their confidence is shot now. In the first half, it was like a Premier League team playing a lower league side!

"I want to predict a win for City, but this game is just perfect for a team like Nottingham Forest if I'm being honest. They are excellent on the counter and facing City at this stage suits them. If City fail to score in the opening 20 minutes of this game, they will be in trouble.

"Pep Guardiola is rattled now. He's never been in this situation before and it shows in his gesture towards Liverpool fans. He didn't have to put up six fingers. This is football and it happens. Now the whole world is watching and this is when you should be turning things around.

"Someone tell me why Matheus Nunes played out wide against Liverpool? Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the best passers of the ball, but he's not particularly strong one-on-one. When Jeremy Doku came on, Liverpool decided to take Alexander-Arnold off and that explains it. Nunes didn't even touch the ball and he looked lost on the pitch instead of taking the Liverpool full-back on.

"City also had Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis playing central midfield by the end of the game and that's not ideal. Even when City got a grip on the ball in the second half, they did not look like scoring. You would think Erling Haaland was injured because he barely touched the ball.

"It's just mind-blowing. If it was any other manager, we would be questioning these decisions. No one's saying a word because it's Pep. If City fail to win this football match against Forest, they won't finish in the top four."

Merson's prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Nottingham Forest